Maroons are slaves who ran away and established small settlements in the mountainous areas of Jmaica, British Guiana and Suriname. The word is derived from 'marronage' which came from the Spanish word 'cimarron' meaning fugitive or runaway.
There were two types of marronage. Grand Marronage which refers to large groups of people who ran away from plantations and Petit Marronage, which describes individuals or small groups who ran away.The Grand Maroonage led to the establishment of Maroon communities while Petit Marronage was comprised of people who would sometimes return to the plantations and who can be seen as habitual runaways or people who tried to get away from their situation temporarily.
As Maroon communities increased, the slave owners felt more threatened. Successful Maroon communities were established in Jamaica as seen with the Sambo- Mosquito on the Mosquito Coast, Cudjoe Town (named after leader General Cudjoe) and Nanny Town.
Maroon communities prove to the white slave masters that Africans were not childlike and docile. They served as a constant reminder to the white community that Africans wanted their freedom and could be self governing. They also reminded the slaves that there was an alternative to their current situation and therefore a source of hope. Reasons for the success of Maroon Communities
Geographical Topography was used to their advantage - They settled on mountainous regions such as the 'Cockpit Country' in Jamaica because there were many caves in that area.Europeans had difficulty getting through these areas and thus Maroons were able to exist peacefully in these areas.
The Maroons established well planned communities - They carefully chose where to settle and they had organised systems of government in their settlements.
They became self sufficient communities - They produced enough to feed themselves and planted a variety of crops such as sweet potatoes, yams, plantains, bananas, tobacco, coffee beans and sugar cane in some larger communities.
They established symbiotic relationships with the indigenous peoples ( a symbiotic relationship is a relationship in which both groups benefit). -They met groups of Tainos in the mountains and formed agreements with them. The two groups traded their surplus food. Tainos taught the Maroons to survive in the forests and the Maroons introduced the Tainos to various new farming methods and types of farming.
Their knowledge and practice of guerrilla warfare was valuable. They frequently used this knowledge defending themselves against European trackers who attempted to find their communities. It also helped when the Maroons raided plantations for supplies.
The Maroon leaders were very effective - Various Maroon leaders helped maintain well organised communities through their administrative skills. They also helped develop a sense of unity and confidence among community leaders, they planned successful raids and made important decisions. e.g General Cudjoe signed a treaty with the colonial government to gain its cooperation and to ensure that the Maroon community would survive with little interference from the Europeans.
To some extent Maroon communities survived because Europeans grew to fear and even respect them - This is eveident by the treaties which were signed with some Maroons after the first Maroon war and the Second Maroon war.
The Maroon Wars
First Maroon War (1729-1739) - After a long period of conflict with the Maroons, the British Government in Jamaica came to an agreement. This agreement or treaty gave the Maroons the right to their independent communities. In return, the Maroons pledged their support to the colonist regime, agreed to help capture runaway slaves and to help in the defense of the colony.
Second Maroon War (1795-1796)- The Maroons felt they were being mistreated and conflict began again in 1795. Another treaty was signed whereby the Maroons would return all runaway slaves, ask for the king's forgiveness and be relocated to other parts of Jamaica. Related past paper questions
1.a Who were the Maroons?
1.b Name 3 Caribbean countries which were home to Maroon settlements.
1.c Give 3 factors which helped the Maroons decide on the location of their communities.
1. d. Describe 3 ways by which the Maroons supported their communities.
2 . Read the passage below and answer the questions that follow:
It is during the Spanish occupation of Jamaica that we first hear of the Maroons. During the English conquest of Jamaica, some Maroons turned against the Spaniards and assisted the English. Later most Maroon armies turned against the English and proved a thorn in the side of the new English settlers. Unable to defeat the Maroons, the British signed a significant treaty with them in 1739.
(a)Describe the development of the Maroon communities in Jamaica from the time of the Spanish occupation up to 1738.
(b) What Maroons did the English expect to gain from the treaty of 1739?
3. Outline 5 factors that explain the origins and growth of Maroon communities in either Jamaica or Suriname.
4. Discuss 2 ways by which the Maroon communities of Jamaica and the British, EACH benefited from the Treaties signed at the end of the Maroon wars in 1739.
Maroons are slaves who ran away and established small settlements in the mountainous areas of Jmaica, British Guiana and Suriname. The word is derived from 'marronage' which came from the Spanish word 'cimarron' meaning fugitive or runaway.
There were two types of marronage. Grand Marronage which refers to large groups of people who ran away from plantations and Petit Marronage, which describes individuals or small groups who ran away.The Grand Maroonage led to the establishment of Maroon communities while Petit Marronage was comprised of people who would sometimes return to the plantations and who can be seen as habitual runaways or people who tried to get away from their situation temporarily.
As Maroon communities increased, the slave owners felt more threatened. Successful Maroon communities were established in Jamaica as seen with the Sambo- Mosquito on the Mosquito Coast, Cudjoe Town (named after leader General Cudjoe) and Nanny Town.
Maroon communities prove to the white slave masters that Africans were not childlike and docile. They served as a constant reminder to the white community that Africans wanted their freedom and could be self governing. They also reminded the slaves that there was an alternative to their current situation and therefore a source of hope.
Reasons for the success of Maroon Communities
The Maroon Wars
First Maroon War (1729-1739) - After a long period of conflict with the Maroons, the British Government in Jamaica came to an agreement. This agreement or treaty gave the Maroons the right to their independent communities. In return, the Maroons pledged their support to the colonist regime, agreed to help capture runaway slaves and to help in the defense of the colony.
Second Maroon War (1795-1796)- The Maroons felt they were being mistreated and conflict began again in 1795. Another treaty was signed whereby the Maroons would return all runaway slaves, ask for the king's forgiveness and be relocated to other parts of Jamaica.
Related past paper questions
1.a Who were the Maroons?
1.b Name 3 Caribbean countries which were home to Maroon settlements.
1.c Give 3 factors which helped the Maroons decide on the location of their communities.
1. d. Describe 3 ways by which the Maroons supported their communities.
2 . Read the passage below and answer the questions that follow:
It is during the Spanish occupation of Jamaica that we first hear of the Maroons. During the English conquest of Jamaica, some Maroons turned against the Spaniards and assisted the English. Later most Maroon armies turned against the English and proved a thorn in the side of the new English settlers. Unable to defeat the Maroons, the British signed a significant treaty with them in 1739.
(a)Describe the development of the Maroon communities in Jamaica from the time of the Spanish occupation up to 1738.
(b) What Maroons did the English expect to gain from the treaty of 1739?
3. Outline 5 factors that explain the origins and growth of Maroon communities in either Jamaica or Suriname.
4. Discuss 2 ways by which the Maroon communities of Jamaica and the British, EACH benefited from the Treaties signed at the end of the Maroon wars in 1739.